Thursday, May 23, 2013

Coming up: Nikon 28-70 2.8 vs. Tamron 28-75 2.8

UPDATE: the Tamron 28-75 and Nikon 28-70 comparison is here. The party photos are here:

This weekend I will be taking event photos for a friend. Her parents are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. I initially planned to rent a Nikon 24-70 2.8G (I already sold mine) and a Nikon 70-200 VR II (sold my VR I too). However, on eBay I came across a listing for a Nikon 28-70 2.8D (reviewed here). It was listed for less than $800, whereas I usually see it for around $9xx, $1000, or more. I ordered it and received it yesterday. To my relief, it is as described and so far it works very well. In fact, it even comes with the original lens case in great condition. The serial number on the lens starts with "US" so I know it is not gray market. Thank goodness.

I will be posting a comparison between the 28-70 and the Tamron 28-75, with an emphasis on its use for full frame (FX), as less expensive alternatives to the excellent but pricier 24-70 (reviewed here). (Of course I will also do posts about the event photos and the Nikon 70-200 VR II.)

FYI, I found out the seller from whom I bought it (daniphotoelectronics) another listing for another 28-70, which looks to be in a similar condition, for an even lower price. The seller also offers a 14-day return period. I'm not affiliated with the seller but am posting it here in case anyone's interested. Of course, caveat emptor.